Light in the darkness
by Skovko
Summary: 15 years ago a 13 year old girl disappeared, and now Roman's staring right at her. Her kidnapper had turned up three days earlier, but he refuses to say anything. Roman follows her into a place where he'll be lost without her to help him back out. It's up to him to make her trust him and bring her back to society, so everyone can see for themselves that she isn't dead.
1. Lost and found

Hernia in itself was a bitch, but at least it was over and done. It had come back, his old nemesis, and Roman had had surgery. He missed the ring badly, but it hadn't been all too bad getting a well deserved break from wrestling. He was about to start training again, and he would be back inside the ring in no time.

He had grown quite fond of this spot on the beach. No one came here. The old, big sewer pipe that led out in the ocean was enough to keep people away. Most people found it ugly, or was scared it might smell. To Roman it had become his own little slice of heaven where he went to be alone, enjoy the beauty of the ocean, and just take a mental step back.

He unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite. The ocean waves and the occasional seagull making its presence known was all he could hear. And then he felt eyes on him. He swallowed down the bite and slowly turned around. There by the edge of the sewer pipe, still standing inside of it, was a woman. And not just any woman. He knew exactly who she was.

She had been all over the news the last three days. She had been on the news here and there the last 15 years whenever they tried poking into that old case again, but it had blown up again the last three days, just like it had blown up 15 years ago when she disappeared.

Meadow Branch, 13 years old, disappeared from home.

The lead suspect had been a neighbor. Harvey Olson. He was a weird man whose eyes always lingered on the young girl. Every neighbor on the street told the police how they would see him watching her. He wasn't even discrete about it.

Of course he had denied everything. His lawyer was there every time. Harvey wasn't stupid. And then the police finally got the search warrant. It didn't take long for them to find a pair of panties that Meadow's mother swore belonged to Meadow. They had to run tests on them first to look for DNA. That night Harvey disappeared too and was never seen since.

The panties had of course been Meadow's. Her DNA was inside. Searching his house again, they found some of her belongings hidden under a loose ceiling board. Jewelry, a teddybear, her diary. But Meadow was gone, and so was Harvey.

Her parents couldn't cope with the loss of their only child. They both started drinking heavily. Around a year later they were informed that the police had found a body that could be Meadow, and they were asked to come in and identify her. They never showed up. They were convinced it was their daughter, and it brought her father to insanity. He shot and killed her mother before pointing the gun at himself and committed suicide. They never learned the body was another poor girl. Someone who wasn't even from Florida. Her body had been transferred far and dumped there. Meadow was still lost.

It was around this time of year that the case would pop up on tv again. The anniversary of her disappearance. No one knew if she was dead or alive. Most people assumed she was dead, and that Harvey had fled the state. And then the bastard showed up three days ago, on the anniversary of all days. His appendix had been hours away from killing him, and the excruciating pain had made him seek help at the hospital. He had been in surgery, and was now chained to the hospital bed while he healed. He was officially under arrest.

Roman wasn't sure if he wanted the man dead or alive. It would have been karma if he had died on the anniversary, but he was still the only man who truly knew what happened to Meadow. Like everyone else, Roman wanted to know. He had only been 18 when she disappeared, but he remembered seeing her face all over the news. A beautiful, young teen. Her eyes were grass green which was why her parents named her Meadow. Her hair was strawberry blonde and long.

Her picture had been in the news again. Sort of. They had used a program to age her 15 years to show how she probably would look like. Since Harvey had been found after all these years, there was a renewed hope that she would be found too. And now Roman was looking right at her. Her hair was way too long and one big, felted mess. It probably hadn't seen a hairbrush in 15 years. She wore a dirty, knee long, blue and white floral dress, and she was bare footed.

She just stood there, looking at him. The moment was absurd. So many people had looked for her for 15 years, and there she was. She had found him. Not the other way around. He slowly made his way towards her. She seemed nervous and took a step backwards when he came close, and he stopped and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Roman," he said.  
"I'm hungry," she eyed his sandwich.  
"You can have it," he said.

He held the sandwich towards her while taking a few steps again until he was close enough for her to take it. Dirty fingers wrapped around the sandwich, and she brought it to her mouth to take a bite. She looked up in his eyes again while chewing.

"A lot of people are looking for you, Meadow," he said.

Her eyes widened in horror. She dropped the sandwich, spun around, and ran into the sewer pipe. He couldn't let her get away. That pipe led to too many places, and no one would be able to find her in there. He sprinted after her, following the sound of her breathing and running, turning corner after corner, getting deeper into a world he had never stepped foot in. If she got away now, he would be lost.

Suddenly everything lit up, and he was looking at what looked like some sort of homemade bedroom. There was a bed and a couple of small dressers. Thick candles burning all around to bring light to the place. Old teddybears and kids' toys were around as if she was still a young girl and not the woman she had grown into. Time stood still in this room. 13 year old Meadow Branch was living here.

"You live here?" He asked.  
"Please," she whispered.

He hadn't noticed her pressing her back against the wall in fear. He was clearly scaring her. He put on his best smile and slowly walked towards her.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," he said.  
"No one can know I'm here. He'll get so mad," she said.  
"Who? Harvey?" He asked.  
"He said he would be back soon. It's been three days. I'm so hungry," she said.  
"You haven't eaten in three days?" He looked at her shocked. "Shit, Meadow! He's not coming back. They arrested his sorry ass. They're trying to make him tell them where you are. So many people think you're dead."

She shook her head no. He couldn't help but chuckle. Of course she wasn't dead. She was right in front of him.

"How did he manage to keep you here?" He asked

She turned her head to look at something, and his eyes followed in the direction. There was a chain in the wall connected with some sort of chain collar. He wondered if she had been wearing that collar for 15 years. She wasn't wearing it now though. If she had gotten out on her own, or if at some point during those 15 years she had been broken and brainwashed enough for her to start doing whatever Harvey wanted, he had no idea.

"Meadow, look at me," he said. "You need to get out of here. You need to come with me."  
"Where?" She asked.  
"The police," he answered.  
"He'll kill me!" She looked scared.  
"You're not listening, sweetheart. They got him. He's going away. I need you to come with me, so that everyone can know you're still alive. You coming forward will make sure he'll never get out of jail," he said.  
"I don't understand," she said.  
"You don't have to. You just have to trust me," he said.

She looked in his eyes again, taking a few seconds to think about it. He didn't wanna force her with him. He wanted her to trust him and take the step on her own.

"You have kind eyes," she finally said.

He smiled and held out his hand. She slowly took it and managed to smile back. The smile didn't reach her eyes, nor had he expected it to. 15 long years with her kidnapper in this place. No wonder her eyes looked so sad.

"You gotta lead the way back out. I'm lost," he said.

She nodded and started walking. He held on to her hand, feeling how well it fit in his. It really wasn't the right time or place to start getting weird feelings towards her. She was a stranger who had been forced into a cruel life. She did not need someone like him to start feeling stuff.

He sighed lowly and sent his mother a thought. She had warned him as a kid about love at first sight. He never thought it actually existed. Now that he started feeling like this, it really wasn't ideal. And it wasn't love. It couldn't be. She was beautiful, sexy and lost. That had to be it. She was lost, and he could be her hero, even though it was her escorting him out of the place.

Once out in broad daylight, she tightened her grip on his hand. She probably wasn't used to walking around like that in the daytime. He escorted her to his car and got her inside. He found some chocolate in his gloves compartment and gave it to her. She had dropped the sandwich, so this was all he could do to get something inside her. Three days without food. She had to be starving. She was through the chocolate before they reached the police station. She took his hand again as he walked her inside.

"Don't leave me," she pleaded.  
"I won't," he promised.

Not even a minute later, everything went crazy. He hardly had the time to tell the woman at the counter that he was standing with Meadow Branch before they were being pulled apart. Meadow was escorted somewhere out in the back. He heard her cry his name when she lost sight of him. His heart broke in that moment. He wanted to run after her. Someone escorted him to another room where he gave his information and told the story about how he had found her. And then he was sent home. He wasn't allowed to see her or tell her goodbye.

It wasn't until that evening he heard her name again. She was all over the news, but this time it was the story about her being found. Reporters camped outside the police station and the hospital, dying to get the scoop or a photo of her. The police had been clever enough not to put the story forward until just before the early evening news, so no one actually knew where she was at that point. Only that she had been found.

Roman wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel. His entire day had been turned upside down, and so many feelings were rushing through him. There had been something there, a connection he couldn't explain, and he suddenly felt so damn lost. Ironic. She had been lost for 15 years, and now it felt like she was the only one who could find him, and she didn't even know. She probably would never know. He probably would never see her again. And all he had left was her plea, and he was angry about the broken promise he had left her with. Because he had left her.


	2. Going back

Roman had just finished his breakfast and morning coffee next morning when someone rang his door bell. Outside a police officer stood and seemed rather nervous about the task he had been sent out to perform. He had explained as fast as he could, and all Roman got was that Meadow wouldn't talk, except for constantly asking for him. The young cop asked if Roman would get in the car and go with him to the safe house they kept her in.

To Roman it hadn't even been a question he needed to think about. He had almost knocked over the young man to get to his car fast. The only thing that mattered was that Meadow had asked for him. Repeatedly.

The young man drove them both to the safe house. Roman felt his hands get clammy as he walked through the front door. He quickly dried them on his jeans while following behind the cop.

Two minutes later he walked into a room where Meadow sat on a couch. She was clean and in sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Both items too big for her. Her hair was still a mess unlike anything he'd ever seen before. Her knees were close together, her hands folded and resting on her legs, her eyes down at her hands. She was closed and not inviting anyone in.

"Hi sweetheart," he said.

Her head snapped up, and her sad eyes looked into his. He walked over and sat down next to her. She promptly took his hand and held on to it as if she was scared he would leave again if she let go.

"You left me," she said.  
"Not by choice. Everything went so fast, and suddenly we were apart. They wouldn't let me see you again," he said.  
"Why?" She asked.  
"Yeah, why?" He looked at the few people in the room.  
"Standard procedure. If it's worth anything, we're sorry," someone answered.  
"It's not really, but it doesn't matter now. Who are you?" Roman asked.  
"My name's Dan, and I'm the one assigned to this case, but Meadow won't talk. She only asks for you, so we were hoping you'd help us out a bit," Dan answered.

Roman looked at her, but her eyes were down at their hands. He reached his free hand forward, gently placing it on her cheek to make her look at him again.

"You gotta talk, sweetheart. You gotta tell your story," he said.  
"I don't want to," she said.  
"I know it's painful, but talking about it is part of the healing process," he said.  
"Will you stay?" She asked.

He looked over at Dan and got a nod in return.

"Yeah, I'll stay," he looked at her again.  
"Here beside me?" She asked.  
"No one's gonna make me get up from this couch unless it's you asking," he answered.

She sat back against the backrest and pulled her knees up. She wrapped her arms around them and looked down at the table in front of her. And then she started talking. The words came in one long stream.

15 years of fear and abuse came out in record speed without a pause. Roman heard it all. Pain and anger took over inside him, his heart breaking for each thing she revealed. Harvey had taken an innocent child, barely a teenager, and turned her into a woman by force. Day after day, night after night, year after year, for 15 long years, trying to create a family with her that luckily never came. He was a man obsessed, and she had been unfortunate to be his target.

"Thank you," Dan said when she was done. "I can promise you he'll never get out of prison. We need to take a trip though. You gotta lead us into the pipe and show us where he kept you."

She blindly reached for Roman's hand. He quickly grabbed it and felt her squeeze him hard.

"I don't wanna go back there," she said.  
"You have to," Dan said.  
"No!" She whimpered.  
"Meadow, look at me," Roman said.

It was the first time he had spoken since he promised to stay. She looked at him, and he smiled reassuringly.

"Just one last time. No one's leaving you in there," he said. "And..."

He looked over at Dan and got a nod in return. Dan understood the unasked question. He looked back at Meadow and smiled again.

"And I'm going with you," he said.

Seeing the place she had been kept a second time wasn't any easier. He had to stand back while the cops did their work with taking pictures and gathering evidence. She pointed everything out while telling parts of her story. Hearing how she lost her virginity in this place on that bed had Roman feeling heartbroken all over again. And it hadn't just been that once. 15 long years with that man. She had been chained up for years until she had given in completely and done whatever he wanted. Broken and too scared to leave. If Roman was allowed, he would kill Harvey with his bare hands.

It took hours, but finally they were allowed to leave that place again. Once again they were in a back seat of a police car, holding each other's hands. She constantly felt the need to hold his hand, and he wasn't gonna deny her the comfort. Once back in the safe house, he didn't want to leave without her. He wanted to take her with him, but he knew that he couldn't.

"Come back tomorrow," she pleaded.  
"I start training again tomorrow," he said.  
"Training?" She asked.  
"He's the great Roman Reigns," Dan chuckled. "I subscribe to the Network, so let's spend the rest of the day watching a bunch of his matches. I bet you'll even be a fangirl of his tomorrow."  
"I don't care what I am, or what he is. I want him to come back tomorrow," she said.

Her eyes were begging him. He couldn't say no to her even if he had wanted to.

"You can come with me to training. It's just me, my cousins Jimmy and Jey, and Jimmy's wife Naomi. They won't mind," he said.  
"I don't think so," Dan said.  
"Is she arrested and forced to stay here?" Roman asked.  
"Of course not," Dan answered.  
"Then I'm picking her up at 9.30 AM. Training starts at 10. And we'll do lunch too," Roman said.  
"I'll be ready at 9.30," she said.

She smiled at him, and this time her smile reached her eyes. For a short second the sadness inside them was pushed aside, and he saw something else. Hope. He was her hope for some strange reason. He wasn't anyone's hero or savior, yet she looked at him like that. A lost girl wanting to be found. Without thinking about it, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. He felt her hands on his back, clencing his t-shirt as if she didn't want to let go.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said.  
"Promise?" She asked.  
"Yeah, I promise," he answered. "No one's gonna force me away from you again."


	3. Leeches

Roman arrived at 9.30 AM as promised. She opened the front door when he was halfway up the short tile path, and hurried out to him. She threw her arms around him and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back while looking at Dan who stood in the open door with a not too pleasant look on his face.

"Dan looks mad," he said lowly.  
"He is," she said.  
"Why?" He asked.  
"Because I don't want him to come along," she answered.

He chuckled at that information. She was a grown woman at the age of 28, but all her choices had been taken away from her for 15 years. Now she was choosing again what she wanted and didn't want, and of course people would get butt-hurt along the way. He liked that she stood her ground like that.

"I think he has a small fanboy crush on you," she said.  
"Yeah?" He asked.  
"And who can blame him? You are good looking, and you can fight," she said.  
"You saw some of my matches? And you think I'm good looking?" He grinned proudly.  
"Yes and yes," she started walking towards his car. "But I like your eyes most of all. They're kind. They make me trust you."  
"That's a nice change. I'm so used to getting comments on my muscles. Tons of women want me to carry them around and protect them against whatever," he said.  
"And do you protect them?" She asked.  
"Only the ones I care about," he answered. "Which means I'll protect you if you ever need me to."  
"Where were you 15 years ago?" She mumbled.

That hurt. He knew it wasn't meant as her lashing out. It had probably sounded like some sort of joke in her mind, but when she let it out, the truth came crashing down hard. They hadn't known each other back then, and he doubted his young 18 year old self would have been much protection anyway. Maybe. They would never know. That was the past, and the past fucking sucked.

"I'm sorry," she seemed to have read his mind. "That was very stupid of me to say, and very uncalled for."  
"It's alright," he said. "Let's get on the road."

Jimmy and Jey were already going at it inside the ring when they arrived. Roman had called both his cousins the night before and let them in on everything with Meadow, so they wouldn't be in for a surprise when the woman from the news was suddenly there. He didn't want them to treat her any different than other people.

"Hi girl!" Jimmy waved. "Naomi's in the bathroom. She'll be out shortly to entertain you."  
"Roman, get your ass in here so we can kick it!" Jey shouted.  
"As if!" Roman laughed. "Let's see if I still got it."

He rolled into the ring and locked up with Jey. Meadow moved down to sit on a chair by the wall close to the door. Roman watched it all between moves. He realized she probably needed to feel like she could escape if need be. He couldn't blame her for feeling like that. She had been captured for so long. Naomi came walking out from the back while Jey managed to pull Roman down. She walked straight over to Meadow, put a smile on her face, and stuck out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Naomi," she said.  
"Meadow," Meadow shook Naomi's hand.  
"Are you alright being here? I know they can get all huff and puff-like when they try to show off in front of women," Naomi said.  
"I don't mind as long as it's inside the ring," Meadow said.

Naomi sat down on the chair next to Meadow before moving a hand to Meadow's hair. She tried to run her fingers through the felted mess, but it was impossible.

"I haven't brushed it while I was gone," Meadow looked down ashamed.  
"Gone? You actually use the word gone?" Naomi asked.  
"What else should I say? People don't like hearing the truth. Kidnapped is an ugly word. Raped is an even uglier word," Meadow said.  
"Not around us. If you wanna talk, we'll always listen," Naomi said.  
"You're a special family," Meadow chuckled.  
"Indeed we are," Naomi chuckled too. "What do you say we leave the guys here, and I'll take you to my hair dresser? Let's see if we can get this birds nest sorted out."

Meadow nodded and smiled. The hair was heavy weight to carry around. She didn't like asking for things like that herself, but Naomi had offered. That was different.

"Hey guys!" Naomi called. "I'm taking her out on a trip."  
"Stay safe!" Roman called back.

He stood in the ring, watching the two women leave. It wasn't until they were gone, the twins spoke up.

"Dude!" Jimmy chuckled.  
"What?" Roman asked.  
"You have hearts coming out of your eyes," Jimmy said.  
"I do not," Roman objected.  
"Yeah, you totally do," Jey chimed in. "You got the hots for her."  
"So what if I do?" Roman sighed. "What kind of a creep would I be for trying anything after what she's been through?"  
"So you'd rather have her single and alone all her life? Or someone else come in and take advantage of her insecurity?" Jey asked. "Think about it, Roman. No matter how good your intentions are, at some point she'll be released out in the world on her own. No more safe house or cops or anything. If she's lucky, she might find someone who'll treat her right. If not..."  
"Shut up!" Roman hissed. "I get it, alright? I get what you're saying, but it's only been a few days. And she's not gonna be released into the world on her own. She has me!"  
"That's what we're trying to say," Jimmy chuckled.  
"Wrestle!" Roman growled.

They wrestled around each other for another hour until Roman's phone went off. He jumped out of the ring, sweaty and exhausted, and saw Naomi's name on the screen.

"It's your wife," he looked at Jimmy before answering the phone. "What's up, Naomi?"  
"We're in trouble," Naomi said.  
"What? What the fuck happened? Where are you?" He yelled.  
"Calm down. She locked the door, so they can't get in. Unfortunately we can't get out either. They're all over the fucking place," she said.  
"Where the fuck are you?" Roman yelled.  
"At my hair dresser. We got her hair fixed, but another customer overheard us talk, and called the medias. They're swarming the fucking place, and won't let us out," she said.  
"We're on our way," he said.

Roman grabbed a hooded sweatshirt from his bag. Three sweaty men jumped into his car. Jimmy gave directions to Naomi's hair dresser while staying on the phone with her. They arrived within record time. Angrily Roman stormed out of the car, pushed his way through the crowd of reporters, and slammed his fist on the glass door. An unknown woman, probably the hair dresser, unlocked and let them in. Jimmy and Jey stood up against the glass door, blocking the reporters' views as much as possible.

"Where is she?" Roman growled.  
"In the back," the woman said.

He hurried out in the back and found Meadow and Naomi in a small room.

"Roman!" She threw herself into his arms.  
"It's alright, sweetheart," he calmed her down. "Let me see you."

She leaned out and allowed him to get a better look at her new hairstyle. It had been cut up to a bob, and what remained had finally been untangled and combed out. Her hair was straight and smooth.

"We couldn't fix it. It was too messed up," she sounded apologetic.  
"Are you kidding me? You look stunning," he said.  
"Really?" There was hope in her eyes again.  
"Fucking beautiful," he grinned. "Foxy as hell too. I like it. No, I love it. You don't like it?"  
"I do," she finally smiled. "I was afraid you wouldn't."  
"Why? Even if that was the case, you shouldn't care about things like that. You gotta do you," he said.

She nodded and gave him an even bigger smile that made her green eyes suddenly come alive. There was a sparkle there for the first time, and it was in that second he knew the twins were right. If he didn't do something about it, someone else would move in, steal her, and leave him heartbroken.

"Let's get you out of here," he handed her the hooded sweatshirt. "Here, wear this."

She put it on, and looked like she was drowning in it. She pulled the hood up to hide her face.

"It's gonna be a battle, but I promise I won't let go of you. You trust me, right?" He asked.  
"Yes," she answered.  
"Let's go then," he said.

They walked out in the front again where Jimmy and Jey were still waiting.

"Ready to play human shield?" Roman asked.  
"Always," Jimmy answered.

Roman wrapped his arms around her to hold her close.

"I won't let go," he promised her again.

Jey unlocked the door, and all five of them pushed through the crowd. Questions and blitzes came from all over, but they didn't stop for anyone. Roman kept his arms around her while Jimmy, Jey and Naomi did their best to cover her front, back and other side. They managed to get to Roman's car and get inside of it. He started it and got them on the road fast.

"We'll be all over the news tonight. We better call Hunter or Vince to let them know," Jey said.  
"Fucking leeches!" Roman sneered. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

He looked in the rear view to see her sitting in the middle between the twins. She pulled the hood down, and her hair had become a bit of a mess again.

"I'm fine," she met his eyes in the mirror. "Thank you for coming."  
"I said I would protect you," he winked.

He drove back to where they had been training. All their stuff was left there, and all three of them still needed to shower and change. Naomi stayed with Meadow while the men took care of themselves. 15 minutes later Roman came back out with damp hair and in fresh clothes.

"How are things here?" He asked.  
"All good," Naomi said. "She's a tough one."  
"I already know we got a strong fighter on our hands," Roman said.

He put an arm around Meadow's shoulder and pulled her in for a sideways hug.

"Roman?" She asked.  
"Yeah?" He asked.

He looked down at her and saw that hopeful look in her eyes again.

"I don't wanna go back to the safe house," she said.  
"Do you got somewhere else to go?" He asked.  
"No, I..." She looked down. "Forget it. It's nothing. I need some air."

She walked outside, and Naomi looked at Roman.

"You already know what she was about to ask," she said.  
"Yeah, I just caught on a second too late," he sighed. "Typical me."  
"So go give her your answer, and try not to hurt her," she said.  
"What makes you think I'll say no?" He smirked.

She shook her head and chuckled just as Jimmy came walking out.

"What?" Jimmy asked.  
"Roman's about to get a roommate," she answered.

Roman walked outside where Meadow stood and stared straight ahead.

"I'm officially an idiot," he said.  
"Why?" She asked.  
"Because I didn't understand what you were trying to ask me," he answered.  
"It was stupid anyway. You don't really know me," she said.  
"I don't care," he took her hands and looked in her eyes. "Ask me."  
"Can I go home with you? Just for a day or two?" She asked.  
"Yes and no," he chuckled. "Yes, you can go home with me. No, not just for a few days. You're staying for as long as you like. But we gotta go to the safe house first and tell Dan. He's gonna flip his shit."  
"I don't care," she said. "It's my life."


	4. Normal is overrated

As expected Dan had tried every argument in the book to make Meadow stay in the safe house, and she had countered every argument with the same comeback. It was her life and therefore her choice. In the end he had pulled Roman aside and warned him about the bloodthirsty reporters not going away until her story was out there.

Roman had contacted Vince McMahon himself and told him everything. Hunter had been on the line as well, both men listening to what Roman had to say. They weren't too happy about the situation, but they understood. Photos and videos of Roman, Jey, Jimmy and Naomi trying to protect Meadow from the reporters aired that same day no matter what. There was no point in trying to fight it.

That was five days ago, and how Roman had loved having her in his house for those five days. She stayed inside most of the time, only leaving his property to go with him to training. Anything else he did on his own. They couldn't risk a reporter cornering them in a supermarket or on a parking lot somewhere. He could handle his own, and he dealt with his fair share all around. He was already used to it.

On the fifth day they got a call from Dan. He told them an attorney was on his way to Roman's house. He gave Roman all the information so he wouldn't let a stranger into his home by accident. The attorney showed up half an hour later, and Roman escorted him to the kitchen where Meadow was already waiting.

"Meadow," he smiled. "You've grown up so much. I don't suppose you remember me."  
"Mr Jenkins," she said. "I do. You were in our house a couple of times."  
"I was your father's attorney. When your parents passed, I was left with the process of selling his company. The money has been kept safe in a bank account until we knew for sure whether you were dead or alive. It's all yours."  
"How much?" She asked.

He handed her a piece of paper, and she looked shocked. She handed Roman the paper, and he whistled in astonishment.

"Damn, sweetheart, and I thought I was rich," he chuckled.  
"Blood money," she whispered.  
"That's not what that term means," he said.  
"I know what it fucking means, Roman!" She snapped.

She stormed out of the kitchen and out in the garden. Roman sighed and looked at Mr Jenkins.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm gonna go after her. Help yourself to something to drink. There's lemonade in the fridge."

Roman walked outside and found her leaning up against a tree in the garden. She had grown quite fond of that tree for no particular reason. She would just stand with her shoulder against it, watching the sun go down at night.

"Meadow," he took her hand. "Sweetheart, talk to me."  
"No amount of money will make me happy about them being gone," she said.  
"No one expects that from you," he said.  
"They were good people, Roman. They were loving parents. They loved me. What kept me going for 15 years was the thought of coming back home to them. He took that from me. He broke them," she cried.

He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his chest. They stood like that for a couple of minutes until her crying died down, and she stopped shaking.

"I have no family," she said.  
"You have me," he said.

She tilted her head to look at him. There was that hopeful look in her eyes again, along with something else. Something warm, something longing, something affectionately.

"If you'll have me," he whispered.

This was their moment. He slowly leaned down, wanting to kiss her for the first time. He never got that far. The moment was ruined by Mr Jenkins who came out.

"Sorry to disturb, but I'm in a bit of a hurry, and we need to get this done today. Meadow, we should go to the bank. You need to sign the papers so you can officially get the money," he said.  
"Okay, let's go," she said.  
"Do you need me to come with you?" Roman asked.  
"No, I'll be fine. Stay here," she answered.

A long hour passed before she finally returned. He smiled and listened to what she had to tell him about the meeting at the bank. He kept his distance. He had been so close to kissing her in the garden, and that hour apart had made him second guess that decision. It was still too early.

"Mr Jenkins also said we should look into giving an interview somewhere. Get it over with to make the reporters back down," she said.  
"Anyone in particular you wanna talk to?" He asked.  
"Whoever is the nicest. I don't really know what's going on on tv these days," she answered.  
"Let me call Vince," he said.

She walked out in the kitchen and sat up on the counter while looking over her shoulder and out the window. He came out there ten minutes later.

"Vince wants us to do an interview that'll air on USA Network, and then go up on WWE Network. He wants me part of it. This is actually the best way. We're gonna do this with people working for WWE. They're very respectful, and we can cut in the interview any way we want. It's gonna be your way and no one else's. You're in charge," he said.  
"That sounds good," she said.  
"What are you looking at?" He asked.  
"The tree," she answered. "Could we put a swing up in that branch?"  
"Sure thing," he said.

She turned her head and found him standing right in front of her. It felt like another moment was there, but he kept his distance.

"Do you regret it?" She asked.  
"Regret what?" He asked.  
"Almost kissing me earlier," she answered. "It's okay if you do. It was just a crazy moment, and you got caught up in my pathetic crying, and I..."  
"Hey!" He cut her off. "I don't regret it. I thought you needed more time."  
"I need you," she said. "And I want you. Don't send me away, Roman. I'll go if I have to. I can afford living on my own now. But please, don't send me away. I'll back down. I'll stop crying. I'll do anything. I'll get over this silly crush I have on you. I'll be normal."

He placed his hands on her knees, pushing her legs apart enough for him to step in between them. He gently placed a hand on her cheek while hooking his arm around her waist to pull her close.

"Normal is overrated. I want you just the way you are. Tears and weirdness and all," he said.

This was definitely their moment, and this time he didn't stop himself. He brushed his lips against hers, gentle at first, slowly increasing in desperation to get more as her tongue started playing with his. Her arms went around him to hold him close while she kissed down his neck.

"Please!" She begged.  
"What do you need?" He asked.  
"You. All of you. Take me to your bed," she answered.

His hands slid down her thighs, down to grab her legs to wrap them around his waist. She locked her ankles behind his back as he grabbed under her thighs and lifted her up. His hands quickly moved under her ass, feeling her up while carrying her to the bedroom. They both stumbled down on the bed, hands and lips going all around each other's bodies. He had both of them undressed five minutes later, kissing her again while sliding a hand down her stomach.

"Roman, I don't know what to do," she confessed.

Everything inside him crashed. Of course not. She had only been with Harvey, and Roman doubted the pig had been kind or done anything she actually wanted. She hadn't been given a choice.

"We rushed this. We don't need to do anything. We can wait and take it one step at the time," he said.  
"No, that's not what I meant," she said. "I want this. I want you. I just don't know what to do to make you enjoy it."  
"Me?" He laughed. "Just being here with you is enough. I'm more nervous about making you enjoy it."  
"I've never enjoyed it before," she said.  
"I know," he sighed. "Are you scared?"  
"Yes," she admitted.  
"It's alright," he said.

His hand slid further down and in between her legs. He slowly starting running his fingers around on her clit, watching her intensely while listening to every little moan he could get out of her.

"I won't hurt you. If I do something you don't like, you tell me right away and I'll stop. That's a promise," he said.  
"You promise a lot," she said.  
"Because I care about you," he said.  
"Stop talking and make me... Make me..." She stuttered in moans.  
"Make you what? Cum?" He kissed her neck. "I'm working on it. Do you like it?"  
"Your fingers are magic," she said.

She closed her eyes and gave him full control. Her moans grew fast, and a minute later her back arched as she cried out in pleasure. He kept his fingers working until her crying died down, and she opened her eyes again. He moved his fingers down and pushed two of them inside her, moving them as slow as he could. A little smirk appeared on her face.

"That was a first," she said.  
"What? That was your first orgasm?" He asked.  
"Harvey never cared to even try. Not that it would have mattered. My mind was far away when we had sex," she said.  
"You didn't have sex, sweetheart. He raped you. Do you wanna stop this and talk about it instead?" He asked.  
"Fuck, no!" She stared at him. "You're fucking me right now! Erase all the bad memories I have of him, and give me some new, good ones."

He smirked as he pulled his fingers out of her and sucked them dry in front of her.

"Before we go to bed tonight, I'm eating that pussy," he said. "But I gotta have you now."

He opened a drawer in the nightstand and took out a condom. Better safe than sorry. Harvey might have been the one shooting blanks since she never got pregnant, or she might be the one who couldn't conceive. No one knew, and Roman wasn't about to find out if the flaw was with Harvey or not.

She watched as he rolled on the condom. She didn't say anything, but she was biting her lip in expectation. In that moment he only wanted her more. She looked happy as she was waiting for him to take her. Her eyes didn't look sad. That sparkle was back.

"Let me know if I do something wrong or hurt you in any way," he said.

He pushed into her slowly, taking his time to let her get used to his size, and for her to adjust to him.

"You okay?" He asked.  
"Mmm," she nodded. "It feels good."  
"That's what I like to hear," he chuckled.

He moved slow at first, listening and watching, kissing and touching, doing everything right by the sounds of it. He sped up little by little, pulling them both towards the edge. They stumbled over it almost at the same time, her cumming triggered his own undoing, both of them crying out in unison. He rolled down next to her, his arm still across her chest. He panted for a few seconds before raising his head to place a sloppy kiss on her lips.

"That was amazing," she said.  
"Yeah?" He grinned proudly.  
"I never knew sex could be that good," she said.  
"There's more where that came from. As a matter of fact, you're not getting out of this bed until tomorrow. I'm gonna order pizza, and then we'll stay naked here the rest of the day. How does that sound?" He asked.  
"Like heaven," she giggled.


	5. Stay in the light

Meadow seemed different next day. Different in a good way. She had to be nervous for the upcoming interview, but she didn't show it. It seemed like she had found a new self confidence all of the sudden.

She had insisted that Roman called Naomi and asked his cousin's wife to take Meadow shopping. She wanted to look presentable for the interview. He warned her about reporters maybe catching her in public, but she was ready to face the world.

She returned after lunch with what seemed like way too many shopping bags. It really wasn't considering she had almost nothing. Now that she had money she could finally buy things. She had bought most of what was needed in a wardrobe. Her and Naomi had been lucky. No one had spotted them. Naomi always knew the right places to shop.

Vince, Hunter, Stephanie and Shane showed up around 2.30 PM. The crew was scheduled to arrive at 3 PM, but the bosses wanted to meet her first, and make sure she was comfortable with everything. She held on to Roman's hand the entire time, once again needing his silent support. She couldn't quite grasp the attention that was on her for being kidnapped for 15 years. She wanted this interview done, give the public what they desired, and then hopefully be allowed to live a quiet life.

At 3 PM two other cars drove up. One with the cameraman and the soundguy, and one with Dean and Renee. Roman had specifically asked for Renee to do the interview even though that wasn't what she did for WWE any longer. He trusted Renee completely. Meadow would be safe with Renee. And he wanted her to know his friends.

The interview was supposed to be split up in two parts. One part with Roman telling his side. How he had gone to the beach that day, and how he had met her and gotten her away from that place. The other part would be her story. How she had been kidnapped, and what she had suffered in 15 years.

They shot her part first. Roman and Dean stood back, listening to the interview, whispering to each other every once in a while. It wasn't easier for Roman to hear her story again, and even Dean felt uncomfortable when he realized how much she had been through. 15 years of hell, and she sat there looking strong.

"So how are you doing now? You're free to roam wherever you like for the first time in 15 years. How's life treating you?" Renee asked her final question.  
"Really good. I found a light," Meadow looked at Roman. "I found my light in the darkness."

No one would be able to see that she was looking at him, but that didn't matter. He didn't need the world to know. He just needed to know she felt the same way as he did.

"Thank you for sharing your story," Renee said.

Afterwards Roman took the seat for his part while Meadow moved over to Dean. They listened for a few minutes until Dean leaned in to whisper to her.

"You're his light too," he said.  
"I don't know about that," she said.  
"But I do. Big dog can't keep anything from me. He's in love with you," he said.  
"You think?" She asked.  
"Think? Mark my words, Meadow. One day I'll be his best man, and Renee will be your maid of honor. If you don't believe me, ask him," he said.  
"What is he afraid of?" She asked.  
"I don't think he's afraid of anything, but he's not too fond of big birds close to him," he said.

The interview ended. The cameraman and soundguy disappeared right away. There was a guy waiting to cut the interview together so it could air that same night. The McMahon family stayed behind to thank her personally for letting them into her life.

"If you ever need a job, let me know," Stephanie said.  
"Doing what?" Meadow asked.  
"How about backstage interviewer? You can go on the road with Roman and work at the same time," Stephanie said.  
"I don't wanna be anymore out in the public than I have to," Meadow said.  
"What would you like to do then?" Shane asked.  
"I always wanted to be a sports massage therapist," Meadow answered.  
"We can make that happen easily," Shane smiled. "Think about it for the next three weeks. If you want the job, go on the road with Roman. We'll make it happen, and you can work for us."  
"Thank you," she said.

The McMahons said their goodbyes and went on their way.

"You're okay with Dean and Renee staying for dinner, right?" Roman asked.  
"Sure," Meadow answered. "Roman, can I get parrots?"  
"You want a parrot?" He asked.  
"No, silly," she laughed. "I want two."  
"You want two parrots?" He stared in shock. "Sure, if that will make you happy."

She started grinning and looked at Dean who started laughing.

"I told you," he said. "Well played, Meadow. I like you. She's a keeper, Roman."  
"What did I miss?" Roman asked.  
"Nothing," Meadow stood up on her toes to kiss him. "I can't believe you were gonna let me get parrots."  
"So we're not actually getting parrots?" He asked.  
"No," she laughed.  
"Thank fuck!" He sighed in relief. "Big birds aren't really my cup of tea."  
"So I heard," she laughed.

Dean and Renee stayed for several hours. They treated her like Roman did. Normal. Not like she was a lost girl. Not like she was a victim. Like she was their friend.

"I like them," she said as Roman closed the door behind them.  
"I'm happy to hear that since you'll be seeing them a lot," he said.  
"Dean seems to think we'll get married one day," she said.  
"We probably will," he said.  
"You're not scared of that thought? A life with me?" She asked.  
"No, it makes me smile," he pulled her in and held her close. "I was lost too. You found me that day too. You're also my light in the darkness."

 **THREE WEEKS LATER**

"I'm anxious," she said. "In a good way."  
"You'll be fine. Everyone's gonna love you like I do," he said.  
"You love me?" She asked.  
"I love you, sweetheart," he pecked her lips. "How many times do you need me to tell you to be absolutely sure?"  
"At least once a day," she grinned. "I love you too, big man."  
"Let's get you to the right place," he said.

They walked down the hall of the arena together. Everyone greeted Roman and welcomed him back. They finally reached the doctor's station and went inside.

"One masseuse trainee delivered," he chuckled.  
"Roman," the man greeted them both. "And you must be Meadow. I'll be working with you. I'm Tim, by the way. Ready to get started?"  
"As ready as I'll ever be," she said.  
"You'll do great," Roman pecked her lips and moved his mouth to her ear to whisper. "And I'll get special massages at night, right?"  
"Roman!" She giggled. "Run along now so I can get started."  
"See you, sweetheart," he backed up to the door. "And, you know, just saying it again. I love you."


End file.
